Department for International Development

Foreign Affairs Council for Development: October 2015

Baroness Verma: My right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for International Development (Justine Greening) has made the following statement:On 26 October, I attended the Foreign Affairs Council for Development in Luxembourg. The meeting was chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. She also hosted a joint lunch with Environment Minister to discuss the implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030. A provisional report of the meeting and Conclusions adopted will be deposited in the Library of the House for the convenience of members.Humanitarian Affairs The Council discussed how the EU could play a leading role at the forthcoming World Humanitarian Summit. A notable common thread was on the need for a new approach to funding; more genuine partnerships with affected governments, the private sector, civil society and diaspora; and the need for innovation. I led calls for better enforcement of International Humanitarian Law to protect civilians; a reformed approach to finance, blending public and private approaches and moving beyond initial emergency response to focus on education and livelihoods; and a bold approach to gender equality in humanitarian action, including a global coordinated approach to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. In addition to the exchange of views, Commission Vice President Georgieva presented the work of the UN High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing.Migration, refugees and developmentThe Council discussion focussed largely on preparation for the forthcoming Valletta Summit, and in particular the Emergency Trust Fund which was intended to be a key deliverable for the Summit. I emphasized the UK’s view that the Summit needs to demonstrate Europe’s credibility, leadership, and commitment to respond quickly to the serious problems posed by migrants crossing the Mediterranean. The UK has taken a leading role in pressing for a substantive discussion on tackling the root causes of migration, a mutual challenge faced by Europe and Africa – a lack of growth, jobs, opportunity in African countries – and the concrete actions needed to turn the situation around. I emphasised the need to review the Commission’s existing financial instruments to ensure they are flexible and fit for purpose for a rapid response to ongoing crises. I also pressed other Member States to step up their own financial commitments to address the Syria crisis, alongside UK leadership.Gender Action PlanThe Council adopted Conclusions on the new Gender Action Plan (2015-2020) (GAP), which the UK has been a key actor in shaping. I welcomed the new GAP as a landmark opportunity for the EU to take significant steps forward in delivering tangible results for women and girls across the world and pressed for its full implementation. EU-Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) relationship (“Post-Cotonou”) The Council also discussed the future of the EU’s relationship with the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states), with the expiry of the existing Cotonou Partnership Agreement set for 2020. This is an important opportunity for the EU to modernise its relationship with the ACP, so that it is relevant, forward-looking and consistent with Agenda 2030. I called for the Commission to have a broad review, base policy decisions on the evidence of Cotonou’s impact and actively seek a wide range of views during the consultation period.Implementation of the Agenda 2030During lunch, in a joint session with Environment Ministers, we discussed the implementation of the recently-agreed 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development (the Post-2015 Development Framework). I emphasized the importance of looking at the implementation of the Agenda 2030 alongside the other major processes - including the mid-term reviews of the financial instruments and the Cotonou Agreement – occurring over the next five years.Any other businessThe Council adopted several sets of Council Conclusions, including on Afghanistan; the Horn of Africa Action Plan; and the 2015 Report on Policy Coherence for Development. In addition, the decision to open consultation with Burundi on restrictive measures under the EU-ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) Partnership Agreement was also approved. Details of these Council conclusions will also be placed in the Library of the House.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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Scotland Office

The Scotland Bill

Lord Dunlop: My right hon Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has made the following Written Ministerial Statement: The UK Government is delivering on its commitment to make the Scottish Parliament one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world. Every deadline has been met in bringing forward new powers to the Scottish Parliament, and another milestone will be reached on 9 November when the Scotland Bill has its Report and Third Reading.The Scotland Bill delivers the Smith Commission Agreement in full. The Agreement was reached by Scotland’s five main political parties, and it means the Scottish Parliament will have control over around £11 billion of income tax revenues and responsibility over welfare benefits worth approximately £2.7 billion (by 2014-15 figures). For the first time, more than 50 per cent of the Scottish Parliament’s budget will be funded from revenues raised in Scotland.The Joint Exchequer Committee has met four times since June 2015 to take forward negotiations on Scotland’s fiscal framework. The meetings have focussed on key elements of the framework - block grant adjustment and subsequent indexation mechanisms, administration and implementation costs, the no detriment principle, capital and resource borrowing, VAT assignment, fiscal scrutiny and governance.Discussions have been constructive and are focused on securing a fair and workable fiscal framework which delivers the recommendations made by the Smith Commission in its report of November 2014.Work is continuing and both Governments aim to complete this work as soon as possible in order to give respective Parliaments time for due consideration of both the Fiscal Framework and the Scotland Bill. This is likely to be after both the UK Spending Review and the draft Scottish Budget.Since the Scotland Bill’s introduction to Parliament in May 2015 it has been subject to healthy and productive scrutiny, including five days of debate in the House of Commons so far. During this time I have spoken to people from organisations representing the range of Scottish public life about the new powers the Bill contains, as have my Ministerial colleagues. I have worked with the Scottish Government to seek their views, and committees of the UK and Scottish Parliaments have taken evidence and reported on the Bill’s provisions. Throughout this work I have been clear that I would reflect on sensible and constructive suggestions made.Today I am tabling amendments to the Scotland Bill. I have listened to the debate and I am responding with amendments designed to improve the effectiveness of the legislation and to ensure that the new powers for the Scottish Parliament work as the Smith Commission intended.Part 1 of the Bill relates to constitutional arrangements. An amendment will strengthen the clause on the permanence of the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government by including a provision that includes a requirement that the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government should not be abolished except on the basis of a decision of the people of Scotland. Whilst the UK Government is clear this is a scenario that has never been envisaged, the amendment is intended to make clear that there is absolutely no doubt: Holyrood is here to stay. Additional amendments to Part 1 provide technical refinements to the elections clauses, and ensure the Scottish Parliament is responsible for relevant provisions related to the operation of the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government.Part 3 of the Bill includes provisions on welfare. The amendments will give further flexibility to the Scottish Parliament on benefits in relation to carers, and will enable the Scottish Parliament to legislate to provide for forms of non-financial assistance with a view to reducing maternity expenses, funeral expenses or expenses for heating in cold weather. There will no longer be a cap on the amount of discretionary financial assistance an individual who is in receipt of a reserved benefit can receive to assist with rental costs. The discretionary financial assistance must still be provided to help the individual with their housing costs and additional spending must be funded by the Scottish Government.The Smith Agreement stated that Universal Credit will remain a reserved benefit to be administered and delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions, and Scottish Ministers to make decisions about varying the housing costs within Universal Credit for claimants who rent their homes as well as deciding when to pay those housing costs direct to landlords. A co-operative approach between the UK and Scottish Governments will be essential and amendments will clarify the Secretary of State’s role in agreeing to Universal Credit regulations that can be laid by Scottish Ministers. Paragraph 54 of the Smith Agreement relates to the power to create new benefits in devolved areas. A new clause will be tabled to address this.The remaining parts of the Bill transfer substantial powers to the Scottish Government and Scottish Ministers. Amendments will be tabled to clarify the approach taken to the devolution of tribunals and to the Crown Estate. In response to feedback from stakeholders the clause on equal opportunities has been amended in order to better set out the powers to be devolved. Other amendments strengthen the delivery of the Smith Agreement on the clauses relating to fuel poverty, onshore oil and gas licencing, consumer advocacy and advice and the Office of Communications. A new clause ensures the destination of Scottish fines, forfeitures and fixed penalties can be made explicit in primary legislation where necessary.The Smith Commission Agreement outlined a number of areas for further consideration, and the UK and Scottish Governments have taken forward discussions on each of those. As a result of those discussions I am tabling amendments to devolve abortion policy and responsibility for welfare foods to the Scottish Parliament.The amendments tabled today will strengthen the Scotland Bill and represent another milestone in making the Scottish Parliament one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world. I look forward to this important piece of legislation returning to the House for debate next week.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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Department for Communities and Local Government

Housing Associations

Baroness Williams of Trafford: My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has altered, with retrospective effect, how private registered providers of social housing (commonly known as housing associations) are treated in the National Accounts. ONS has concluded that housing associations should have been classified as public rather than private since 2008, due to several of the regulatory requirements imposed by the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 introduced by the previous Government. ONS will now apply this change retrospectively back to 2008.This is purely a statistical change. Reclassification makes no material changes to the operation of housing associations, does not nationalise housing associations and the Government have no plans to impose new controls on the sector – including over spending or borrowing. Housing associations will continue to be able to access those existing Government programmes that have been open to them. The Government remain committed to delivering 275,000 new affordable homes.Housing associations are voluntary organisations and we are committed to reflecting their historic voluntary ethos and strongly believe they should continue to be independent of government. That belief is reflected in our decision to extend Right to Buy to housing association tenants by accepting a voluntary offer from the sector rather than implementing the policy through legislation.As set out in our agreement with the housing association sector on Right to Buy, the Government is committed to developing deregulatory measures to help housing associations build more homes and help more people into home ownership. I set out the details of this agreement in my previous Written Ministerial Statement (12 Oct 2015: Official report, column 4WS - HCWS222). I now intend to bring forward a package of deregulatory measures that will deliver this commitment while also aiming to return housing associations to the private sector in the future. The regulatory system will continue to ensure the good governance and financial viability of the housing association sector, retaining the confidence of lenders.I will work with the housing association sector, the Social Housing Regulator and other stakeholders to finalise the deregulatory measures, with a view to delivering them through the Housing and Planning Bill.